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A Questionable Inversion Jesus' Corrective Answer to the Disciples

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A Questionable Inversion Jesus' Corrective Answer to the Disciples 44 | Te Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies 3/1:44-67 (Winter 2016) A Questionable Inversion Jesus’ Corrective Answer to the Disciples’ Questions in Matthew 24:3–25:46 Timothy J. Christian*1 [email protected] Abstract: Tis article explores the interrogatory relationship between the disciples’ two questions in Matt 24:3 and Jesus’ twofold answer in Matt 24:4–25:46 (divided 24:4-35 and 24:36–25:46). First, concerning how these questions and answers relate, Jesus answers inverted forms of their questions that imply the form, “what will be the signs of these things?” and “when will your coming and the consummation of the age happen?” Second, concerning why they relate in this way, Jesus does this to correct the disciples’ wrong views about the destruction of the temple and eschatology. Lastly, the article ofers a corrective to the various eschatological positions which are often superimposed upon Matt 24–25. Key Words: olivet discourse, Matthew 24–25, eschatology, synoptic gospels, parousia, end of the age * Timothy J. Christian is a Ph.D. student in Biblical Studies (New Testament) at Asbury Teological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. He has presented his research at the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) Annual Meetings and guest lectured at Asbury University. His research interests are Rhetorical Criticism, 1 Corinthians, New Testament Eschatology, and Textual Criticism. He is currently the worship pastor at NewDay Community Church in Versailles, KY and is seeking ordination in the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). His wife, Paige Christian, holds her M.S.W. from Asbury University and is also a certifed social worker. Tey have two children, Asher and Ayla. He blogs at www.biblent.com. A Questionable Inversion | 45 Introduction Te complexities regarding the Olivet Discourse know no end. One such dispute in Matthew’s account in Matt 24-25 regards whether or not Jesus precisely answers the disciples’ questions of 24:3 within his response that follows in 24:4–25:46. Some scholars hold that Jesus only answers one of the questions with some asserting only the frst question1 — “when will these things be?”— and others only the second2 — “what will be the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the age?” Others maintain that Jesus answers both questions with some insisting that he alternates back and forth throughout only 24:4-35,3 while others view him as answering 1. See N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996), 346. 2. See Anthony Buzzard, “Te Olivet Discourse: Mostly Fulflled or Mostly Unfulflled?” Journal from the Radical Reformation 12 (2004): 11-22; Donald Alfred Hagner, Matthew 14-28, WBC 33B (Dallas: Word, 1995); John F. Walvoord, “Christ’s Olivet Discourse on the End of the Age,” BSac 128 (1971): 109-116; John F. Walvoord, “Christ’s Olivet Discourse on the End of the Age: Signs of the End of the Age,” BSac 128 (1971): 316-26; John F. Walvoord, “Christ’s Olivet Discourse on the Time of the End: Prophecies Fulflled in the Present Age,” BSac 128 (1971): 206-14; John F. Walvoord, “Is a Posttribulational Rapture Revealed in Matthew 24?” GTJ 6 (1985): 257-66; and Ray M. Wenger, “Hermeneutical Keys to the Olivet Discourse: Part 3: Matthean Eschatology (Matt 24-25),” Journal of Dispensational Teology (Summer/Fall 2014): 127-58. Walvoord asserts, “Matthew does not record Christ’s answer to the frst question but does record the answer to questions (2) and (3) which both deal with the second coming of Christ” (“Posttribulational Rapture,” 260). Similarly, Hagner states, “Remarkably, the frst question, concerning ‘when’ (πότε) these things were to occur, is not answered in the discourse” (Matthew, 688). Buzzard also coincides, “If there is no future identifable crisis, then the entire point of the discourse is lost. Jesus will have given no certain sign of his impending arrival and the disciples’ question will remain unanswered” (“Olivet Discourse,” 22). 3. See John Nolland, Te Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, NIGTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005); David L. Turner, Matthew, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008); and David L. Turner, “Te Structure and Sequence of Matthew 24:1-41: Interaction with Evangelical Treatments,” GTJ 10 (1989): 3-27. Turner says, “since neither Matthew nor the other synoptists supply an explicit outline of Jesus’ answer with the two events neatly divided. Rather, both events are evidently so intricately interwoven that no consensus has been reached in the attempt to sort them out from each other” (“Structure and Sequence,” 3). 46 | Te Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies 3/1:46-67 (Winter 2016) one at a time,4 the frst question in 24:4-35 and the second in 24:36–25:46 respectively.5 Still others argue that Jesus answers neither of the disciples’ questions, but rather that his discourse rejects their questions outright.6 Te latter two proposals are most plausible and convincing though they seem to be at odds with each other. On the one hand, R. T. France contends for a one-to-one correlation between the frst question of the disciples and the frst part of Jesus’ response in 24:4-35, and between the second question and the second part of Jesus’ response in 24:36–25:46. On the other hand, Ulrich Luz highlights that there is in fact a sense in which Jesus does not directly answer their posed questions and in some senses rejects them through his response in the discourse. Te present study will attempt to reconcile these two divergent and persuasive accounts of France and Luz, namely, that there is a direct connection between the two 4. See William David Davies and Dale C. Allison, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, ICC (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1988); R. T. France, Te Gospel of Matthew, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007); Craig S. Keener, Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1993; Ernie V. Lassman, “Matthew 24: Its Structure and Interpretation,” (MST thesis, Concordia Teological Seminary, 1991); and Leon Morris, Te Gospel according to Matthew, PNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), though he makes the division at 24:29. France divides the discourse into three sections: “the disciples’ double question (24:3), Jesus’ answer to the frst part of that question (24:4-35), and his answer to the second part of that question (24:36–25:46)” (Matthew, 893-94). In addition, Lassman comments upon 24:36 saying, “Jesus is fnished with His discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and now addresses the question about His return” (“Matthew 24,” 62). 5. Lassman captures the difculty of this “both” approach when he asks, “Does Jesus answer the questions of the disciples by taking them up one at a time or does he alternate back and forth?” (“Matthew 24,” 2). He afrms, “Jesus answers both of these questions” (“Matthew 24,” 2). 6. See Fred W. Burnett, “Prolegomenon to Reading Matthew’s Eschatological Discourse: Redundancy and the Education of the Reader in Matthew,” Semeia 31 (1985): 91-109; and Ulrich Luz, Matthew 21-28, Hermeneia (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005). Luz opines, “In my judgment, both of the questions of the disciples asked – not just the frst one – are in a sense rejected by Jesus’ discourse that follows” (Matthew, 191). Furthermore, he clarifes, “Jesus does not precisely answer the question about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, even though he says much in vv. 15-22 about the destruction of Jerusalem and also often (vaguely) refers to time (‘then’ seven times). He also answers the question about the sign only by speaking in v. 30 of a sign that in reality is no sign” (Matthew, 191). Burnett comments, “Jesus, however, never explicitly answers the question, unless verses 14 and 29-30 could be indirect and ambiguous answers” (“Prolegomenon,” 100). A Questionable Inversion | 47 questions in 24:3 and the two part response in 24:4-35 and 24:36–25:46, while simultaneously exhibiting a disconnection between these. As such, this paper will argue that Jesus does not precisely answer the disciples’ two questions in 24:3, but rather two inverted forms of their questions — namely, “what will be the signs (plural) of these things [i.e. the destruction of the temple]?” in 24:4-35 and “when will the παρουσία and συντέλεια of the age happen?” in 24:36–25:46—which is a radical transformation of their questions that serves as a corrective to their unseemly assumptions about Jesus. Preliminary Matters Before addressing the primary concerns of the present study, two preliminary matters must frst be addressed: (1) the number of questions posed by the disciples in 24:3 and (2) the structure of Jesus’ response in 24:4—25:46. The Number of Questions (Matt 24:3) First, with regard to the number of questions, most scholars underscore the vitality of understanding the disciples’ questions in 24:3 for the interpretation of the whole discourse. Jason S. Longstreth says, “Tis entire discourse was initiated by the disciples’ question and therefore its interpretation rests on that question.”7 Furthermore, Luz comments, “Much depends on the interpretation of this double question, since in the opinion of most exegetes it determines the interpretation of the entire chapter.”8 Now while scholars agree that the questions are critical, the difculty arises, however, when it comes to interpreting them and how many there are. Some very ancient witnesses suggest as many as three: (1) “when will these things be?”, (2) “what will be the sign of your coming?”, and (3) “what will be the sign ..
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